SSG manager Kim Won-hyung explained the reason for the absence of Guillermo Heredia (32), a foreign hitter who is leading the league in batting average this season, from the All-Star Game.
Kim will serve as the Dream All-Star manager for the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO All-Star Game, which will be held on May 15 at Sajik Stadium in Busan. He will lead a total of 25 players, including the best 12 selected through a combination of fan votes (70%) and player votes (30%), and 13 players selected as manager’s picks, to the star-studded event.
Park Se-woong, Koo Seung-min, Kim Won-joong, Ahn Chi-hong, Noh Jin-hyuk, Kim Min-seok, Jeon Jun-woo (Lotte), Yang Yang-ji (Doosan), Park Byung-ho (KT), Choi Jung (SSG), Koo Ja-uk, and Pirela (Samsung) were named to the Dream All-Star roster. In addition, Noh Kyung-eun, Seo Jin-yong, Oh Won-seok (SSG), Ko Young-pyo, Park Young-hyun, Kim Sang-soo (KT), Buchanan, Kang Min-ho, Kim Hyun-joon (Samsung), Yoo Kang-nam (Lotte), Hong Gun-hee, Lee Yoo-chan, and Jeong Soo-bin (Doosan) were selected for the manager’s recommendation announced on the 4th.
However, the omission of Heredia, who has been hitting for the cycle, was notable. Heredia has appeared in 72 games this season, batting .332 (93-for-280) with nine home runs, 52 RBIs and 40 runs scored.
“Heredia will leave for the United States during the All-Star Game to become a U.S. citizen,” Kim said in an interview before the team’s home game against KIA at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on Friday. “It was scheduled a year ago. It’s an important part of her life, and we respect that.”
Heredia is scheduled to depart for the U.S. on Tuesday to undergo an in-country examination for the purpose of becoming a U.S. citizen. His attendance is mandatory, and he has asked Kim and the rest of the team for their understanding.
Upon completion, he will return home on the 16th to join the team for training. “When we get back, we’ll take a short break and then we’ll start training again,” Kim said, adding, “There’s no problem with the second half of the schedule.”
Right-handed pitcher Noh Kyung-eun, 39, was also among the managers’ recommendations for the Dream All-Star roster. The first-round pick of Doosan in 2003, 메이저도메인 the right-hander was honored with his first All-Star selection 21 years after his debut.
“I had a chance conversation with (Noh) about the All-Star Game a month ago,” Kim said, adding, “He told me he wanted to go to the All-Star Game, so I told him to pitch well until then.” A club official said, “Noh Kyung-eun was happy to be selected for the All-Star Game, saying that it was a family honor.”
There are other players who are gaining a lot of popularity, such as Choi Ji-hoon and Park Sung-hwan, but they didn’t make the roster. “I thought they needed a break after playing so many games this season,” Kim said, explaining, “I wanted to bring a lot of our players, but we had to distribute them evenly with other teams.”